Didn't you read earlier Richo?
SQ would never have taken over AN directly.
That would have meant taking over an Airline with the top 3 levels of management totally innefectual and more interested in building their own castles over and above the welfare of the Airline.
That would have been a very messy operation, hence with 2 senior board members installed in NZ, push for them to take it over - it was a given they would collapse it due to NZ inneptitude and then ride in like a knight on a white charger and ressurect the beast without losing face - not to mention not having to pay out the contracts of the top 3 levels.
Tea towel wearing people who clean their rugs by banging them with their heads and had obviously belted a bad attitude into themselves by doing so ruined the plan the night before Ansett self immolated.
SQ stood back then - ran under the radar rather than lose face in an industry that had gone into recession overnight. Also you can't tell me that that other magnate and his mate that were involved in the alleged resurrection and spun the thing out to the point that all other possible consortiums ran out of fighting funds and finally walked away were not funded by SQ - probably to the tune of millions.
The thing SQ wanted and still desire with a passion are the rights AN held to the pacific cash bonanza. i feel the horse has now bolted.
Isn't it nice whe people like the Fat Man, the Bodgie and the introduced carnivourous pests can screw with the lives of people like you and me?
Be well aware Richo.
There were many more forces in play over and above the standard pap someone who has come in after the time could possibly be aware of. No shame there. We who were in the middle could not believe what we were hearing.
It was an Empire of Evil, started by TNT/News and their head scumbags and magnified by Australia's most corrupt Prime Masturbator of all time.
The whole thing was a circle jerk of epic proportion.
Best regards
EWL